Call to Order – Chairman White called the meeting to order at 5:33 p.m. Board members present were J. B. White, Eddie Roberts, Jr., Eddie Ford, & Harvey Norris. Staff members present were Marcie Seleb, general manager, and Alyssa Hopson, clerk to the board.

Approval of Minutes from October 09, 2018 Meeting – Mr. Roberts made a motion to dispense with the reading of, and to approve, the minutes from the October 9, 2018 meeting. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously.

Burt Jones joined the meeting.

Dental/Life/Disability Insurance Proposal – Ms. Seleb presented the Board a renewal rate analysis from Metlife for Dental, Life and Disability insurance. The dental rate will increase by 6%. The current rates for life and disability will remain the same. The Authority’s insurance broker, Michelle Cole, recommended that the Authority continue with MetLife the company must honor a 6% cap on price increases for three years, and that she felt the increase would have been more otherwise. A motion was made by Mr. Jones to accept the renewal rates for calendar year 2019. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously. A copy of the rate letter is attached and made part of these minutes.

Workman’s Compensation Insurance Proposal – Ms. Seleb presented the Board with a proposal from J. Smith Lanier and Company for workman’s compensation insurance for 2019 through American Builders Insurance at a cost of $26,650, which is $107 less than the 2018 pricing. A motion was made by Mr. Norris to continue to use American Builders Insurance for workman’s compensation for 2019. This was seconded by Mr. Ford and approved unanimously.

Extension Discussion – Airstrip Road – Ms. Seleb presented a request from David Whitaker for the Authority to pay to extend water to lots on an undeveloped stretch of Airstrip Road. A motion was made by Mr. Roberts that, as developer, Mr. Whitaker pay 100% of the cost of an extension, as per the Butts County Water Ordinance. This was seconded by Mr. Jones and approved unanimously.

Extension Update Requested – Paul Maddox Road – Ms. Seleb reported that Joe Knight has asked for an update on the planned looping of water lines around Paul Maddox Road to increase fire flows. Board members authorized Seleb to work on a cost estimate and explore needed easements to determine feasibility of the project.

Select Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Round 4 (UCMR4) Testing Provider – Every five years the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency issues a new list of non-regulated contaminants to be monitored by public water systems. This testing, which will take place in 2019-20, must be paid for by individual water systems.

Ms. Seleb presented pricing to the Board for UCMR4 testing by four approved laboratories. Mr. Norris made a motion to accept the low quote of $20,360.00 from Weck Laboratories. This was seconded by Mr. Roberts and approved unanimously.

Sanitary Survey Report – Ms. Seleb presented the Sanitary Survey report issued November 29, 2018 for the April 2018 inspection of the water system by staff of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). The purpose of the Sanitary Survey is to evaluate the capability of the water system. Staff has forty-five days to address and/or dispute the minor deficiencies that were noted. A copy of the survey is attached and made part of these minutes.

Manager’s Report

THM/HAA Water Samples – Ms. Seleb reported quarterly water samples weren’t taken in June 2018 for trihalomethanes (THM’s) and haloacetic acids (HAA’s). This was because sample bottles were not shipped to the Authority from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) laboratory which was contracted to do the testing.

Staff has been told by EPD staff that this will not show as a violation on the Authority’s record, but it currently shows as a “failure to sample” violation on EPD’s Drinking Water Watch website. Ms. Seleb will work to get clarification on this issue.

Construction – Ms. Seleb reported that the Authority’s crew is almost finished with water main installation on Barnes Road. Projects set to begin the next few weeks include the Highway 36 East Yellow Water Creek Bridge water relocation and the water extension on Hwy. 16 West to the Spalding County line. The Bucksnort Land Application System field expansion is essentially complete with minor punch list items remaining.

FY 2018 Audit – Ms. Seleb reported that the FY 2018 audit was just completed by Haisten and Johnston. Ms. Seleb now must prepare a section for Management’s Discussion and Analysis. The full audit report will be completed and submitted to funding agencies by the end of December.

City of Griffin Rate for 2019 – Ms. Seleb reported the City of Griffin raised its wholesale rate from $5.07 per 1000 gallons in 2018 to $5.43 per 1000 in 2019. This rate applies to customers on Chappell Mill Road, Fenner Road and the Brushy Creek Subdivision. A copy of Griffin’s wholesale rate change letter is attached and made part of these minutes.

Can-A-Thon – The Authority Board agreed to make a $500 donation to the City of Jackson’s Can-A-Thon. A copy of the letter of request from Griffin is attached and made part of these minutes.

Generators Saving Money – Ms. Seleb reported the Authority saved 14% on total utility costs at the Burford plant during Fiscal Year 2018 by using emergency generators during load management periods at the Burford Plant. This reduced the Authority’s electric rate with Central Georgia EMC.

Operations Statistics – Ms. Seleb reviewed water production, water loss and customer statistics for November. The average daily finished water pumped to the Authority, Jackson and Jenkinsburg from Burford and Stewart plants was 2.0 million gallons per day, with a maximum of 2.2 million gallons per day. The rolling twelve-month average loss was 12.6% with the current monthly average loss at 1.4%. The total amount of finished water pumped in November by each plant was: Burford – 54 million gallons and Stewart – 6 million gallons.

Water billing for November was $232,387, equal to the previous month and down 8% the same month for the previous year. Sewer billing for November was $45,055, down 7% from the previous month and down 35% from the previous year.

Total water accounts numbered 5,622 at the end of November with 5,149 active water customers. Four subdivision water meters were purchased on the existing system.

There were 184 total sewer accounts at the end of November, with all of those being active customers.
Financial Report – Ms. Seleb reviewed the financial summary for Water & Sewer Operations, Capital Recovery Fees, and Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) for November 2018. Water operations income for November was $249,140 with $92,254 in expenses. Water capital recovery fee revenue for Fiscal Year 2019 thus far was $8,293.

Sewer Operations income for November was $49,715 with expenses of $93,914. Sewer Capital Recovery Fee revenue for Fiscal Year 2019 thus far was $5102 with $0 in expenses. To date, $2,632,590 has been collected in 2013-18 SPLOST revenue, with $2,402,857 expended.

Total cash on hand at the end of November was $9,839,869. This is $845,659 under the June 30, 2017 balances. An annual revenue bond payment made at the end of November reduced cash on hand by $377,219. Copies of the November 2018 financial summaries, the consolidated fund balance sheet and the consolidated fund income statement are attached and made a part of these minutes. Also attached is a copy of the monthly check register.

Adjourn – A motion was made by Mr. Roberts to adjourn the meeting at 6:20 p.m. This was seconded by Mr. Norris and approved unanimously.